May7, 2018

Washington, D.C. – Today, House Armed Services Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) introduced an amendment to the FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would establish an independent National Commission on Military Aviation Safety.

The commission would review military aviation mishaps between FY 2013 and 2018 compared to historic averages; assess the causes contributing to mishaps; and make recommendations on safety, training, maintenance, personnel, or other policies related to military aviation safety. Smith made the following remarks about the amendment’s introduction:

“It is time to establish an independent National Commission on Military Aviation Safety, so that we can understand exactly what causes are contributing to military aviation accidents, how current rates compare to historic averages, and what steps we can take to improve military aviation safety. It is essential for our aviators and their families—as well as for our military’s ability to recruit, retain, and perform its mission—that Congress have an authoritative, objective, apolitical look at the causes of this problem so that we can figure out what is going wrong and what actions need to be taken.”